Charles M. Russell: the cowboy artist who made Great Falls his home
Charlie Russell came to Montana at 16, worked as a night wrangler and spent his later life painting the West from a log cabin studio in Great Falls.
Montana history
Gary Cooper: the judge’s son from Helena who became the quiet man of Hollywood
Frank James Cooper was born in Helena in 1901, learned to ride on his family’s ranch near Craig and went on to win two Academy Awards.
Granville Stuart: gold, cattle and a hard legacy in Montana’s early years
Granville Stuart helped start Montana’s gold rush, became a leading cattleman and later a diplomat. His role in the 1884 vigilante killings complicates the “pioneer” label.
Chet Huntley: the Montana voice of network news
Born in Cardwell and raised on a homestead, Chet Huntley co-anchored NBC’s Huntley-Brinkley Report for 14 years, then came home to build Big Sky.
Evel Knievel: the Butte daredevil who turned crashing into a career
Robert Craig Knievel grew up in Butte, took the nickname Evel and became the most famous motorcycle stunt performer in the world. Butte still celebrates him every summer.
Myrna Loy: from a ranch near Helena to Hollywood’s perfect wife
Born Myrna Williams near Radersburg and raised partly in Helena, Myrna Loy became one of the biggest stars of the 1930s. Helena’s arts center carries her name.
Thomas Francis Meagher: the Irish rebel on horseback at the Capitol
The statue of a mounted general in front of the State Capitol honors Thomas Francis Meagher, an Irish revolutionary, Civil War general and acting territorial governor who vanished into the Missouri in 1867.